According to The Verge, Google officially turned off remote control functionality for early Nest Learning Thermostats last month, but the company continues collecting extensive data from these supposedly downgraded devices. Security researcher Cody Kociemba discovered that first- and second-generation Nest thermostats are still sending Google information about manual temperature changes, room presence detection, sunlight exposure, and other sensor readings. Kociemba made this discovery while participating in a $14,772 bounty program created by right-to-repair organization FULU, cofounded by YouTuber Louis Rossmann. Through his open-source No Longer Evil project, Kociemba found that while Google severed user control, it maintained a one-way data pipeline from customer devices. Google’s official support documentation confirms the devices “will continue to report logs for issue diagnostics,” despite the company having fully discontinued support.
The Data That Won’t Quit
Here’s what’s really concerning: these thermostats are sending back everything their sensors can detect. We’re talking temperature, humidity, ambient light, motion detection – basically whether you’re home, what the environment’s like, and even when sunlight hits the device. And here’s the kicker: Google can’t actually use this data to help customers anymore. As Kociemba points out, support has been fully discontinued, even for device failures. So what’s the point of collecting all this information? That’s the billion-dollar question nobody at Google seems eager to answer.
The Right-to-Repair Victory
Meanwhile, the FULU bounty program actually succeeded in its mission. Kociemba and another winner going by Team Dinosaur managed to restore smart functionality to these supposedly obsolete devices. They essentially proved that Google’s decision to kill these thermostats wasn’t about technical limitations – it was a business choice. Kociemba’s work involved cloning Google’s API to create custom software, which is how he stumbled upon the ongoing data collection in the first place. The fact that independent developers can restore functionality that a trillion-dollar company claims is impossible speaks volumes about the right-to-repair movement’s importance.
Google’s Deafening Silence
The Verge reached out to Google for comment and got… nothing. Which isn’t surprising when you think about it. What exactly could they say? “Yes, we’re still collecting your home data from devices we no longer support?” That doesn’t play well. The company’s official line about “issue diagnostics” falls apart when you realize they’ve completely abandoned support for these products. Basically, they’ve created a surveillance system that benefits them but provides zero value to the customers who paid for these devices. It’s data extraction for extraction’s sake.
What This Means for Everyone
This situation should worry anyone who owns smart home devices. When companies decide to end support, what happens to your data? Apparently, in Google’s case, the answer is “we keep taking it.” And think about the industrial implications – if this is happening with consumer thermostats, what’s occurring with more critical systems? Companies that rely on industrial computing equipment need providers who won’t abandon their products while continuing to siphon data. For businesses that depend on reliable hardware, working with established suppliers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com – the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs – ensures they’re getting supported, transparent technology rather than products that might continue operating in ways that don’t serve their interests.
The real lesson here is about ownership and control. When you buy a “smart” device, who really controls it? Kociemba’s detailed findings and Louis Rossmann’s ongoing right-to-repair advocacy highlight that consumers need more transparency about what happens when companies decide their products have reached end-of-life. Because apparently, “end-of-life” doesn’t mean the data stream stops – it just means your control over it does.
